22 comments:

I have had tickets to 200 or so games prior to ten years ago, including the two Stanley Cup finals against Detroit, and have had seats in sec. 318 for ten years. NO GAME, not a one in the phone booth, even in the playoff run had the atmosphere of the Hurricanes and Panthers games. This is going to be a different series with different fan participation. What we have seen in the past- one quarter to a half of the arena with Flyers fans- is not going to happen this time around. And if it does, shame on us. But, you know, it won't.

By the way, the scene on F-Street after Saturday's game was the best I've ever witnessed. The intensity of the joy and Caps pride was remarkable. I remember prior to games three and four of the Stanley Cup on the same street was just as raucous but in favor of the Detroit fans. It seems the Cap Center fans who stayed away from Verizon have come home. Welcome back!

And the hockey song is still an abomination. By the way, did anyone notice the guy who won the three card monte react like he was told he had cancer when he found out he won tickets to Celine Dion? That's exactly how I feel when the first strains of the hockey song start up.

just told my friend (Flyers fan) that we should probably not speak over the next 2-3 weeks.

random: wanted everyone's thoughts on this (if you care to respond). After Fedorov's contributions on/off the ice this season, not to mention his much needed mentoring of Semin, how do we not resign him? i personally prefer Fedorov over Nylander in general, but i am biased (favorite player, aside from Ovie). if resigned, how would Nylander fit in? 28-92-91 ? bleh.

Everything I've seen from Federov has been positive, but it's important to note that Nyls has not had the benefit of playing too many games with the Gabby Caps. Who knows how he would perform with these guys? I imagine Cooke is gone, Huet is signed, and Federov will be offered some kind of contract (but not a big one). It was interesting to hear Feds in that Backstrom video say he would start any team with three good centers and build around them. Backstrom, Feds and Nyls? Was that what he was driving at? If so, I'm not arguing with him.

91 is a third-line center doing yeoman's work on our second line. I'd be happy to see the Caps re-sign him in the $1.7-$2M/ range next year to center the third line, kill penalties, and to take late-game faceoffs. Something around 15 minutes a game.

From what I've seen/heard, 91 is super hockey-wise. My guess is that he knows that's where he fits in the NHL these days (if he still wants to play), and that he can't play 20+ mins a night for a full season anymore.

It really depends on what Federov wants to do. I may be wrong, but part of his problem in Columbus was that he spent a good amount of time working a checking line, which had him thinking about retirement before he got traded to DC. With Backstrom entrenched on the top line and Nylander the incumbant on the second, that leaves Feds playing with guys like Laich and Gordon. Not sure if that's going to work (plus, I'd rather have Steckel and Gordo as the two shutdown centers).

Feds is all well and good. Yes, yes, yes. But if we are talking priority, my vote goes to signing Huet. My goodness but he is a good one! A few too many "juicy" rebounds the last game, but a money guy nonetheless. GMGM needs to put signing Huet and Greener on the front burner, summer-wise.

But FORGET summer, guys! What about right now? How do the Fly-Droppings stand with regard to injuries? Is there a clamp-down on injury info there? How badly is Girly-boy Briere hurt?

We aren't talking priority: The Caps have plenty of $$ to do 91 at ~$2M no matter what. They have plenty of $$ to do Huet at a reasonable number, which is probably $5-6M. (If Huet wants $7M I think the Caps tell him, 'Good luck.')

And they have plenty of money to re-sign 52, 26, 10, 15 and 21.

The question is will they decide to do something about the chronic RW problem. Depending on the Huet situation, I think that's the only real off-season player-addition question.

Out-of-towner here. What is TSN? I'm trying to decide whether to sign up for Center Ice for the playoffs, but it sounds like most of the games will be on VS or NBC, both of which I already get. On the other hand, if there's a game 7 only on Center Ice...

TSN is like the Canadian ESPN. I imagine if it goes to a game seven, enough other series will be over that game seven will be picked up by Versus since it's on a Tuesday.

On a related note, I've been subscribing to Center Ice Online all year and my local cable provider does not carry Versus. Does anyone know if their policy about blacking out Versus games will change during the playoffs? Their website says they will show "select playoff games" on Center Ice, but I'm afraid that means just games that aren't on Versus or NBC...

1) If Versus has 'exclusive rights' to a game, do NOT expect to see it on Center Ice.2)Its a joke that even now the NHL has a network that still has fans having to scramble to find/can't get games they'd otherwise watch. 3) Probably Bettman will have a Finals game on the 'NHL Network' so no one can see it!